A Fairy Tail Love?
by Midori-white
Summary: After the Grand Magic Games. Hopefully future!Lucy successfully manages to change history and present!Lucy does not lose her arm T.T and FT members are (mostly) alright and life is coming back to normal. Contains minor speculations on what happened during the MG arc. A Nalu fanfic.
1. Realisation

_"Don't deny your feelings for him anymore."_

Her own voice keeps ringing in her head. This was what her future self told her before she smiled and disappeared into the night sky. The relief from the pain she clearly once bore was so palpable in her future self's eyes Lucy was taken aback: did something happen to Natsu the first time? Something so horrid that it made herself realize she never ever wanted to lose him?

She looks up and takes a glance around the guild hall. For the past half hour, random peals of laughter sounded out from behind where she sat at the bar counter. Yup, life was resuming its way back to some sort of normalcy. Right now, Natsu was being his usual self entertaining the crowd of mages surrounding him.

She takes a hard look at him. Beneath that foolish character lies a pure heart that values camaraderie even more than his own life. It was also a steadfast and loyal heart that she has always loved and admired.

_Ah, but this is difficult_, Lucy heaves a long sigh. Being new to love herself, she didn't know if what she feels for Natsu was love or merely strong platonic affection. She thinks back to all the times they hung out together, all the times when she was in trouble and he risked his all to save her. Till now, she was moved that Natsu would actually miss out on the chance to participate in the final phase of the Magic Games in order to go rescue her from the Kingdom. _Could it be, I mean something to him?_

"Lucy! Happy says he's hungry; let's go fishing!"

"Gahh! Natsu!" Lucy was startled out of her thoughts of him. Seeing him so close with his arm around her made her a little flustered, suddenly.

"Geez, why should I come along? It's not even my favorite food."

Even as Lucy says that, she finds herself getting up and waving goodbye at Mira by the counter, following behind the Salamander and his flying cat.

_Could I bear to lose him?_

* * *

"Natsuuuu, have you gotten one yet? It's been 2 hours!"

Lucy couldn't help it. She was bored, and tired, and a little hungry now, but Natsu and Happy were just silently observing their rods in the waters.

"Shh, Lucy! Don't be so loud! I felt a tremble a while ago but your sudden outburst must have scared the fish away! It'll be your fault if we have nothing to eat for dinner!" Happy complains.

"Lucy, just a while more, eh? I'll cook you a nice big fish all to yourself, I promise."

Natsu looks at her and flashes her his signature big grin. That big grin that she realize she adored really much.

"…Huh." She responds. Wordlessly, she watches him, a contented look on his face. _He… really loves hanging out together. Even if it's just sitting around doing nothing. What about me? I –_

"I FEEL ONE IT'S COMING!"

For the second time that day, Lucy was startled out of her thoughts. She looks up to see Natsu digging his feet into the ground but that was no use – he was creeping nearer and nearer to the edge of the river. Whatever was at the end of the rod, it must be one hell of a catch.

"Natsuu! You can do it!" Happy shouts out, abandoning his own rod and punching the air in morale support for his buddy.

"Hurrrhhhhhhhhh-AHH!"

The creature in the river was forced out of the water by Natsu's sheer strength. Although, now that it has surfaced, Lucy didn't think it was that good an idea.

The monster was _huge_. The fishes in this river they always fish at were normally larger than most fish found elsewhere, but _this_, this was something else altogether. At least 5 times bigger than the usual, this marine beast also seemed much more ferocious, maliciously chomping its jaws while flying –

Right at her.

"Gu-wahhhhh!"

"Lucy, watch out!"

Before she knew what was happening, Natsu had pushed her out of the way and was head-butt right in the stomach by the fish. With a grunt, he flies back into the trunk of a tree, slumping onto the ground. With a monstrous roar, the fish-beast clamped Natsu by his torso and dragged him into the water.

"Natsuuuuu!"

But too late. Suddenly, all was still.

"We gotta save him!" In a panic, Lucy jumps into the water. _Natsu, Natsu!_ However, before she could get used to her surroundings, she felt herself being pulled out of the water, and dropped unto the bank.

"Lucy, calm down! It's Natsu we're talking about, he'll be fine!" Happy tries to reassure her. "Besides, that thing looks dangerous! You might not be able to protect yourself, much less Natsu!"

_That's right, it's Natsu. He always manages to pull through at the end. _

"Yeah, Happy, you're right. He'll be okay…"

* * *

15 minutes later.

Natsu had not reappeared.

"What's happening down there?! Is he okay? Did he die? Omg, Natsu is dead, he's dead!"

"LUCY CALM DOWN!"

"Ah, I know!" Happy exclaims, "Why not sent Aquarius down to check things out?"

"That's right, Aquarius!"

"Geez Lucy, you really need to pull your head together!"

"Gate of the Water-bearer, I open thee, Aquarius!"

"What is it now, little girl?"

"Aquarius! Natsu got taken down the river by a huge fish! Please go down and save him!"

"Hmph, Natsu huh? Isn't that guy a tough idiot? He'd be fine. Now don't you dare disturb me; I'm on a date with my boyfriend. _My boyfriend._"

With that, Aquarius disappears into the water.

Lucy collapses onto the ground in despair. _Natsu! Stupid Aquarius! To think she'd forsake me for her boyfriend! Boyfriend, huh? Must be nice…_

Just as she was at her wit's end, an explosion rang up over the waters. Lucy lifts her head to see a tsunami of fire coming out of the river. The silhouette of a person carrying a huge object over his shoulder emerges from the flames.

Natsu. Albeit a battered-looking, soaked one. His clothes were slightly torn around the torso area, but it was Natsu alright. With a triumphant smile.

"Natsu!"

"Happy! Lucy! Wah that took quite some time, huh! But as promissssed, this fish is for you, Lucy! Though I doubt you can finish it all, this damn fish – why don't we shar –"

Before he could finish his words, Lucy lounges forward and envelops him in a hug.

_I could never bear to lose him. Ever._

"Natsu. Thank God you're safe!"

"Lu-lucy?"

"Hold on a minute. You had me worried!"

"Pfffft Natsu, she lllllllllllikes you!"

_I like him? Do I?_

"Lucy –"

She pushes him away and clears her throat.

"C'mon let's eat, I'm hungry!"

They settled down by a tree and sat around their dinner. Natsu happily beckons her over to bite off at the best part of the fish – the stomach. She feels her own stomach flip.

_Maybe._


	2. Getting There

Lucy turns on the shower head and finds relief in the jet of hot water cascading down her back. _Ah, what's wrong with me? I shouldn't be like this._

She thinks back on the events of the day. She had really nearly lost it when she thought Natsu was gone.

_But that's normal! Natsu is my nakama and team-mate! I would never want to lose him. Not any Fairy Tail member either!_

_"Don't deny your feelings for him anymore."_

With a groan, she comes out of the shower and stands in front of the mirror. _Enough, Lucy. Don't let your heart be disturbed._

Stepping out of the bathroom, the first thing she notices is Natsu and Happy, fast asleep on her bed. After the fishing event, Natsu had complained of muscle pain and successfully coerced her into allowing them to spend the night at her place.

"At least take a bath!"

Silence.

Sighing, she makes her way to a cabinet to retrieve her sewing kit. The fish-beast earlier on had torn Natsu's shirt, and she decided to do some patching-up for him.

She looks up and observes him from at her table. Yes, this was the best distance to look at him. The last time she observed his sleeping form – and even conceded that he looked pretty cute! – he had given her a Dragon Fist punch in his sleep, landing her right in the city river. She ignored him for 2 days after.

_He is kinda cute though_, she thinks to herself, sub-consciously walking towards him. _You'll catch a cold not wearing a shirt._ Though of course, he probably won't since he was crazy strong and a Fire Dragon Slayer at that. But even after a year hanging around him, Lucy sometimes still can't get her head around his insane tolerance to extremities.

She pulls the blanket over him, pausing to adjust Happy into the blanket as well. Looking at Natsu one more time, she finds her hand hovering over his face. Holding her breath, she traces a finger over his check and jawbone.

"Goodnig –"

Without warning, Natsu wakes up and grasps her wrist.

"Gyah! Natsu!"

"Lucy? What's wrong?"

Alarmed, Lucy wrenches her hand free. "You were snoring so loudly I thought you were having a seizure or something! Now either get back to sleep or go take a shower!"

_Stop being so flustered! Act normal, act normal_, Lucy chides herself, quickly making her way back to the table.

Natsu gets up and walks sleepily to her fridge to get himself a bottle of juice. He then plops down onto the chair opposite hers.

_Doki-doki._

"What're you doing, Lucy?"

"Can't you see? Mending your shirt."

_Doki-doki. _

He gulps his drink as he watches her work.

After a few moments of companionable silence, he spoke up again.

"I'm really glad you did not lose your right arm, Lucy. I was really scared when I…" he trails off.

_DOKI-DOKI._

"Hey Natsu. Tomorrow, are you free? Let's skip work and have some fun instead. How about the carnival at the city square?" Lucy hears herself say.

"Carnival? Ohh, sounds like fun! Okay, why not!"

_Did I….just ask him out on a date?!_

_WHATT? What am I doing?!_

* * *

"Yo, Lucy!"

Lucy turns and sees Natsu bounding up the slope towards her, waving wildly to catch her attention. She finds herself grinning and waving back.

"Where's Happy? He's not coming along?"

"That Happy! We were supposed to come together but he abandoned us the last moment when he heard Charle and Wendy were going to the beach with some others. Said something about seeing Charle in a bikini, that damn Happy!"

Lucy laughs, pulling Natsu along with her. "C'mon, let's go!"

The day passed sooner than Lucy'd like, filled with laughter and idiotic moments. Of course, with Natsu's overly-competitive and slightly wild nature, several game stalls were almost destroyed by him, and they had to run away. But that did not dampen their spirits, and Lucy realized she didn't seem to mind his recklessness much anymore.

Right now, Lucy was waiting by a taiyaki stall for Natsu, who had ran off suddenly, saying that he had something for her.

A head of pink hair catches her eye from a distance. _Natsu. Cotton candy? _That's _what he wanted to get me? Geez, that silly boy!_

Lucy couldn't help it, the grin on her face was growing wider and wider. Like two idiots, Natsu and Lucy smiled as they closed the distance between them.

Until Natsu stopped smiling, a panicked expression overtaking his features instead. He mouths something, but Lucy couldn't hear. _Huh? _She sees Natsu break into a run, and she is momentarily mesmerized by his figure.

_Nat-_

Closer, closer.

He reaches out to her, the cotton candy flying out of his hand. With one arm around her shoulder and the other on her waist, he throws them backwards, orientating their bodies so that she lands on top of him.

"Ow owwww," Natsu grunts in pain. "Lucy, you okay?"

The sounds of trumpets and clashing cymbals floated through the air. The parade had begun, and she had nearly been banged down by the parade truck.

"Natsu." _You saved me._

They locked eyes for a seemingly long time. She feels his arms, still around her protectively. Those arms…_full of warmth and masculinity, but why must this person have the mentality of a 10-year-old? He probably doesn't feel anythi – _

"Lucy? Hey, you alright? We should get up now."

Lucy snaps awake.

"Ah! Gomen ne, gomen ne!"

"Gyahhh, Lucy! What were you doing being so careless! Ah, the cotton candy…!"

Natsu had on such a cute disappointed expression, Lucy's heart twisted a little.

_Oh my god, I – it can't be…_

"I'm sorry I spaced out a little! Hey, let's go get dinner, it'll be my treat!"

She stretches out her hand to him. His countenance visibly brightens. They link hands, dusting themselves off and walking towards a stretch of restaurants. Lucy falls back into her thoughts as Natsu resumes his chattering self, listing out the things he wants to eat.

_I like you._

**My notes: Is this kind of too slow-paced? :/ hmm, but I was just thinking, for these 2 love idiots, slow pace is apt! Shucks, I dunno. :( **


	3. Awareness

**Because I love drunk Lucy *derp face***

* * *

"Natsu. You've seen me almost naked on a few occasions, right?"

Natsu almost chokes on the spaghetti he was gorging on. His fifth plate. He and Lucy were currently having dinner at an Italian restaurant after a day at the carnival.

His eyes bulge at Lucy's sudden question.

"Don't you feel embarrassed, too? When you barge in on me like that?"

"What are you talking about…?!"

"Why do you do that anyway? Is it… on purpose? Could it be that you –"

"Oi, Lucy…"

" – want to see me naked?"

Natsu puts down his fork, frowning. "What's gotten into you? And should a girl be saying such things in public now?"

"Well, why not!" Lucy retorts hotly, a flush creeping up her cheeks. "Hmph, I'll have you know that I'm pretty confident in my sex appeal!"

Natsu feels unusually flustered . _Lucy _does _have a nice bod – _he catches himself thinking that and mentally shakes himself. _What the hell? Don't have such strange thoughts of Lucy; she's your nakama!_

"Natsu? Hey Natsu, are you listening…?"

Suddenly, he feels a silky-smooth hand clasp over his own.

"…said I'm sorry, let's just forget this conversat –"

Natsu jerks away violently, as if his hand was scalded. He suddenly feels jittery, and painfully aware of how close Lucy was to him, their knees almost touching; of how long her eyelashes were, her mouth shaped into an adorable pout…

"What's with that reaction? I already apologized, haven't I?" Lucy narrows her eyes at him, visibly upset at his over-the-top response.

Bewildered at his own actions, Natsu resumes stuffing food into his mouth. Lucy huffs at him, before tipping down her cup of sake. "Waiter, one more!"

* * *

"Oi, oi Lucy, that's enough! C-come on, let's go back."

Natsu cringes away from Lucy, who is presently clutching her tenth bottle of sake, refusing to let go. He feels a sinking sense of déjà vu.

_Crap, when did she drink so much? Please let it not be like that time again! _He thinks back to the time at the seaside resort, when they were having training prior to the Grand Magic Games, and feels a shudder up his spine. _Drunken Lucy is the worst!_

"NNNAAAT-SUUU! One moreeee! Gampai!"

Lucy turns her unfocused gaze at him, breaking out into a big grin. She holds up her cup to him, but before she could tip it back, Natsu grabs her wrist.

"Stop drinking already, Lucy, you'll get sick!"

Lucy stops for a moment, before slamming her cup down and throwing her whole self at Natsu, much to his chagrin. He nearly falls over his seat.

"Uwah! Natsu is so warm! Kekeke – hic – ahh so warm, so warm!"

"Gyahhh!"

Never had Natsu been so overwhelmed with helplessness like this before. Presently, Lucy was purring into his ear – _Why is she acting like a cat AGAIN? _– and running her hands all over his back, neck and exposed, sleeveless left arm. His heart pulsates wildly.

Just as he was about to forcibly pry her off him, his ears pricked up at their surroundings.

_"Whoa she's so sexy! I wanna…"_

_"Her panties! I can see it…..in heaven now…"_

_"That lucky bastard!"_

Natsu narrows his eyes as he understands the situation. Of course, Lucy has managed to cause a stir in the restaurant, and pairs over pairs of lecherous male eyes were focused onto her, which was understandable as Lucy was, as Natsu realized, exposing her rear to everyone, having her miniskirt ride up too much after pouncing on him.

He feels himself burn up in anger. However, before he could go on a rampage in the restaurant, he gets distracted by Lucy's cries.

"Ahhh! Hot, hot! Too hot. *grunts* Natttt-suuu!"

In her bid to get away from Natsu's flames, Lucy had tumbled to the floor, groaning in pain. To Natsu's horror, she proceeds to roll around the floor.

"IT HURTS, IT HURTS, IT HURTS, IT HURTSSSSS!"

"Seriously, Lucy! What are you doing, get up! Come on, let's go we're leaving!"

Seeing the completely wasted Lucy, Natsu begrudgingly forsakes his plan to beat up the leering men. Right now, getting Lucy home and away from trouble was more crucial. Heaving a sigh, he pulls her up by her waist and tosses her over his shoulder.

"We're going back."

* * *

The journey back was no easy feat. Due to the awkward position Lucy was in, she started feeling nauseas and started throwing up all over him. Utterly disgusted, Natsu had thrown her off him, jumping into the city river to clean himself. However, Lucy, still in her drunken stupor, thought what Natsu did was _fun_, and jumped in after him. Needless to say, she nearly drowned and Natsu had to quickly save her.

After forever, they finally reached Lucy's apartment.

"Easy now, Lucy…no no no not the bed! Change out of your wet clothes first, geez!"

Natsu attempts to maneuver Lucy to the bathroom, but she tumbles to the floor, dragging him down with her. He lands on top of her, feeling especially exhausted. _Handling drunk Fairy Tail women is so much harder that a battle!_

"Oi Lucy, you okay? C'mon let's get you chan –"

He drifts off, taking in Lucy's peaceful countenance. Seems like she had drifted off to sleep. He sighs, but makes no move to get off her. He continues to observe her, feeling a wave of tenderness for her. Of course, so much had happened; they had gone through so much together – needless to say, Lucy had become one of his very important nakama. In fact, he realize, she always were.

Subconsciously, he reaches out a hand to caress her face. At such close proximity, he realized how long her eyelashes were, how cute her little nose was, how soft her lips looked…

_Wait, what?_

Suddenly, Lucy opens her eyes. Startled, Natsu freezes. They locked eyes for a seemingly long time, before Lucy breaks out into a huge grin, looking insanely happy.

"Uwah, its Natsu! Natsu! Hahaha yay, Natsu!"

_Huh? _Natsu was definitely not expecting such a reaction, he didn't know what to do.

"Haaah, it's me. Yay." He manages lamely, feeling very ridiculous.

Happy Lucy suddenly lounges up at him – the _second_ time that night – and got him in a tight chestlock, very much similar to the time she did when Kain, one of the 7 Kins of Purgatory, controlled her with his doll. Natsu feels the wind knock out of him.

"Lucee- Luce…gahhh!"

"Natsu! *sighs* my Natsu! 3"

Mustering his strength, he breaks free of Lucy's chokehold, locking her arms above her. He was beginning to be annoyed now.

"Enough Lucy! You're going to change and go to bed!"

However, Lucy was just staring intently up at him, seemingly oblivious to his instructions. Natsu glares down at her, refusing to lose the eyeing match. After what felt like eternity, though, Natsu looks away, feeling really awkward and uncomfortable.

"Geez, what's up Lucy?"

He shoots her a side glance, and realized that Lucy was still staring at him, her face looking really red, even appearing somehow…_shy_. She begins to make a move to wrench her right hand free of his grasp, and he lets go, unsure of what to make of this situation now.

He attempts to get off Lucy, but her unexpected touch to his face roots him to the floor. He holds his breath.

"Natsu…" Lucy breathes out.

Natsu was feeling very confused now, not just because of this bizarre situation he finds themselves in, but also because of what he was feeling. It felt so foreign, he was doubting his own self.

This feeling, was it anticipation?

Lucy hooks her hand behind his neck, pulling him down to her. He lets her.

He's hugged her before, but this felt different. This was way more intimate, and he can smell her scent more strongly, so intoxicatingly sweet. His heart starts to pulsate faster. He releases her other arm, and she snakes it across him, exploring his back. He never felt so excited before.

"Natsu, I…."

Her voice, albeit mumbled, alerts him.

_What's that?_

He pricks up his ears. _No way, I must have heard wrongly._

"…I love you."

He hears it again.

_Oh my god, Lucy loves me._


End file.
